Category Archives: General Observations

Just things I see that make me think.

by | May 31, 2011 · 8:15 am

Where, Oh Where Could He Be?

A Disturbing Poll

Recently, I came across a poll that was disturbing, while at the same time humorous. Let me share it with you.

The Public Religion Research Institute published a survey that asked Americans, among other things, whether or not Osama bin Laden went to hell. Believe it or not, only around 62% believed that he is suffering in hades {click here for poll}. Where else could he be?

Now, keep in mind that the majority of Americans believe in heaven (80%), or at least some version of it (mostly unbiblical). And for most Americans, there is a belief that evil people will be punished in the afterlife. The numbers, from what I have seen in the past, are more than 62%. So, if this is the case, where should we expect to see bin Laden? If not in hell, I have some ideas….

Potential bin Laden Abodes…

  • Heaven – yes he could have gotten there by the grace of God. Who knows? Maybe one of Seal Team 6 was an evangelical that convinced Osama he needed a Savior, prayed with him, offered him communion, and then tripped over his rifle? It coulda’ happened, I suppose.
  • Disney World – As part of a special, top-secret interigation technique, the CIA has forced him to shave and put on Mickey Mouse ears, while also being forced to ride the It’s a Small World ride. Eventually, he would break, because what else could be considered “hell on earth,” if not that?
  • Again, Heaven – maybe all of the Christians are wrong and the Muslims are correct? Maybe he is partying with his 72, 71, 70, wait…how many virgins are left? Maybe Muslim heaven really is hell. After the 72 are no more, eternity is going to be a long, long time.
  • Wal-Mart – if Osama is not dead, or even if he is, then spending time at Wal-Mart is not unlikely. Just think, hasn’t Elvis been spotted there plenty of times? And have you seen the type of people that shop there? He wouldn’t look out of place, especially in California.
  • Heaven, yet again – Rob Bell could be right, so bin Laden and Hitler may be sharing a mansion and talking about the good ole’ days.
  • Under da Sea! – “Under da sea/ under da sea/ I can blow bubbles/ don’t need no doubles/ under da sea/ ….under da sea/ under da sea/ can’t get to heaven, cause of 9-11/ under da sea…  See ole’ bin Laden tossin’ the turban/ catchin’ a ride on a suicide blue fin/ tossed from a ship and just taking a dip/ under da sea”

The Truth

Seriously though, where can we find the truth? The Word of God – the Bible. Regardless of what 39% of the population think, if Osama bin Laden never accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and King, then his future does not look good. It doesn’t matter what kind of atrocities he committed or encouraged.

Jesus was very clear about what awaits those who deny Him and choose their own path. Even though Osama might have been a sincere man of faith, his faith was misplaced. THAT is why, if he died without Christ, he is in hell.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. – John 3:36

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. – Acts 4:12

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. – Revelation 20:15

Truth is not changed by polling data.

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by | May 27, 2011 · 6:23 pm

Hollow Humor

Steve Martin at the premiere of Baby Mama in N...

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I love to laugh.

There should never be any doubt that I enjoy humor. As a matter of fact, my love for humor has not only gotten me through some difficult times, but it has gotten me into trouble. That is why I truly wanted to see, live and in person, comedy royalty, a legend……

Steve Martin.

Wow! I couldn’t believe I was actually in the same room with “the Jerk,” the “wild and crazy guy!” It was such a thrill, even after the sticker shock and buyer’s remorse that followed purchasing tickets. After dinner at my wife’s favorite restuarant (to make her happy), we had skipped desert, walked in the rain, choked through some guy’s smoke in front of the entrance, and found our place within a stone’s toss of living, comedy genius. It was awesome!

For the younger readers, Steve Martin is the white-haired guy in The Pink Panther, and the upcoming movie with Jack Black and Owen Wilson, The Big Year.

Well, instead of going around doing comedy, Steve Martin is touring with The Steep Canyon Rangers and playing bluegrass (Steve Martin is a scorching banjo player). But along with an all-original set of music sure to please the mountain music lover in everyone, Steve couldn’t help be the funny man. We’re not talking about joke-telling funny, just simple, natural humor. Even though the adults over 30 would have loved to hear him sing “King Tut,” he kept the humor conversational, never once putting on a pair of bunny ears or an arrow-through-the-head.

The Sad Part…

Even though I love comedy and music (even bluegrass banjo), the greatest love of my life is Jesus. And even though Martin was great and really worth the ticket price, it could have even been better had the One I love been invited.

A legalist would say that any music that is not religious is sinful. The legalist would not have enjoyed Steve Martin. On the other hand, a “recovering” legalist can enjoy what is beautiful and “good,” albeit not religious in nature. It’s just that no matter what it is, if it is void of Jesus, regardless of its quality, there’s something missing. It’s sorta like ordering your favorite food, only to notice that a key spice is missing. Adding a key ingredient after the fact is not the same as sprinkling on a little salt.

That being said, for what it’s worth, the following video is pretty darn funny; but sad at the same time.

The big reason why I listen to Christian music is not because I have to – I want to. Even though music and art of all types, including comedy, is ok on the surface, without Christ at the core, it rings hollow. What are your thoughts?

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by | May 23, 2011 · 11:58 am

Being “Real”

Have you ever been completely spent? Worn out? Empty? I have. As a matter of fact, I woke up this morning feeling like a squeezed out tube of toothpaste.

Yesterday was a great day. I was blessed to be able to preach in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening. The only problem is that when you go all day, preaching your heart out, by the end of the day you’re exhausted. When I got up to drive the school bus, I looked at that tube of toothpaste and said, “That’s me.”

Over the next couple of hours a thought came to me: how can you tell when a tube of toothpaste is empty? Usually, it is flat and rolled up. The compacted tube shows evidence that all of its contents have been used – there’s nothing left. Then what about the hard, stand-up kind?

These new containers for toothpaste are deceiving. Unlike the old-fashioned tubes, they do not compact and show any visible signs of being empty. They always look full. Then it hit me – what hypocrites! Those new-fangled containers are just putting on a show and never give any hint of being used up. In other words, they’re not “real.”

I want to be “real.”

This is not a lesson on hypocrisy. This is not a lesson on being a whitewashed tomb full of dead men’s bones. This is about being “real.”

Too often, especially in ministry, we are forced to put on a façade, thereby making ourselves appear to be something we’re not. It’s not meant to be hypocritical. It is meant to spare others from the truth of our own inadequacies – our own emptiness. Sadly, because we don’t want to be a burden or a disappointment, we endure the emptiness…the loneliness…the fatigue. Being “real” is risky.

There are limits to how much dirty laundry a pastor can air in public without losing his ministry. There are limits to how vulnerable he can be around others. But may it never be said that we have to pretend to be something we are not. We are human. We have weaknesses. We have limitations. We can feel “used up.”

Fortunately, unlike a tube of toothpaste, we can be refilled. And for that matter, even a seemingly squeezed out tube always has just a little more to give. God gives us what we need, when we need it.  The important thing to remember is that we shouldn’t try to act full, when we are empty. When we do that, that is when we act in our own strength. Let us then admit our weakness and emptiness, and in turn our heavenly Father will refill us with what will bring Him glory. Who knows, maybe it is our emptiness He wants to use most.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 KJV

Just keep it REAL.

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by | May 20, 2011 · 10:45 am

Venting Before the End of the World

The following are random issues on which I am going to vent for the last time – unless the end doesn’t come tomorrow.

Idiots that Predict the Second Coming of Christ

Poster in Kendall Square, Cambridge, Massachus...

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I am not going to take a lot of time with this one, but when will people learn? If you haven’t heard, a well-intentioned fool has predicted the Rapture to take place tomorrow, May 21st, 2011. You can click the link below and go straight to the source of all this nonsense. Or, if you are wise, you could just stick with the words of Jesus:

Matthew 24:36 KJV – “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.”

Mark 13:32 KJV – “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”

If the words of Jesus aren’t convincing enough, then here’s where you can learn that Jesus was wrong: ebiblefellowship.com.

Idiots that Take Advantage of Stupidity and Show Their Own Foolishness in the Process

Believe it or not, there are folks out there that are making money off of those who believe in the rapture, and I’m not talking about Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins (no offense, guys…I bought your books). I’m talking about people who sell pet insurance to people who want their pets to be taken care of in the event that the owner is raptured. If you don’t believe me, just check them out: http://eternal-earthbound-pets.com/.

There are a couple of things about this that irritate me. For one, these folks are truly going to be lost without hope if the rapture comes any time soon. For that matter, they are lost without hope because they deny faith in Jesus Christ, regardless of the their eschatology. I believe the day will come when the trump of God shall sound and all the dead in Christ shall rise, the living to meet them in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18). I also believe that cars crash, hearts stop, cancer kills, and spiders bite. These folks could meet their Maker unprepared at any time, regardless of some fool’s predictions.

Secondly, I am irritated that these folks have made me sad for my little dog! What if the rapture comes tomorrow, or next week, what will happen to Nugget? Do you suppose that God will mercifully take the lives of the pets of Christians in order to keep them from suffering in a post-resurrection world? Who knows? Probably not. That’s sad. On the other hand, I have plenty of family and friends, not to mention church members, that will probably still be here when that time comes.

I just wish that I had a parrot that said, “Told you so, told you so, told you so…”

Hypocritical Liberals

San Fransisco just approved a measure to be put on the ballot for the November elections. Up for a vote is whether or not to ban circumcision.  Click {here} for story on ballot.

Yes, without any measure guaranteeing religious freedom, voters will attempt to ban the age-old procedure because it is painful to little boys and denies their rights as individuals to decide. EXCUSE ME!?

Correct me if I am wrong, but aren’t these the same, caring, loving, considerate, pro-choice folk who, given the opportunity, would see nothing at all wrong with chopping a baby to bits only eight days earlier? So let me get this straight, it is OK to kill a child by poking scissors into it’s skull and sucking out it’s brain, or by letting it die of “natural causes” on a metal table, but it’s a crime of abuse to circumsize only eight days later? You’re kidding, right?!?

Forgiving Egyptian Debt

Brilliant! Just brilliant, President Obama. We have bridges that are falling apart and miles of southern acreage destroyed by tornadoes, but you’re willing to give a Billion dollars to the Muslim Brotherhood? The very same people who will turn right around and say thanks with a bomb or a knife to the throat? The least you could do is tell them all debts would be forgiven if they stop butchering Coptic Christians. Oh, but that would be to much, wouldn’t it. We wouldn’t want to offend the fledgling Islamic state, would we?

Just look, it takes an Australian paper to say something: The Australian accuses West of ignoring Coptic Christians.

The End?

I feel better, now. Hope to see you in Heaven on the 21st, if you are one of the “elect,” of course. But if the rapture doesn’t take place on Saturday, I will be in church on Sunday worshiping the One who is not slack concerning His promises, but is longsuffering and “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9

P.S.

To all the atheist planning “after judgment” or “rapture” parties,  please take note: rapture or not, this life on earth will end.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” – Hebrews 9:27-28 KJV

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by | May 14, 2011 · 3:17 pm

Saturday the 14th – Scary?

I Survived

If you didn’t notice, yesterday was Friday the 13th. Are you still alive, or did a maniacal, undead mask-wearer visit your un-chaperoned slumber party?

Well, even though we are being overrun by 13 year locusts, I survived the day and night and never encountered a single monster – except our little dog who came in from running around in the wet grass and jumped in the bed.

Movies

Back in the 1980’s a movie came out to spoof the Friday the 13th horror films. It was called Saturday the 14th. The promo line was, “It gets bad on Friday the 13th, but it gets worse on Saturday the 14th.” …..Whatever.

Real life, however,  is far more terrifying than movies. As a matter of fact, the scariest day for any pastor comes every week. Someone should make a movie about it – a documentary. It could be called…..“Sunday Morning (before Church)”

Here’s what the announcer could say during the promo commercial…

“Forget abandoned campgrounds, haunted lakes, and dark rooms. Forget about blade-wielding criminals that won’t die. Forget about whatever goes bump in the night, requiring someone in a bathrobe and slippers to say, “Is anybody there?” All the real demons come out on Sunday morning before church….like clockwork. This is REAL!”

Reality

There is a real Devil, believe me. Even if the Bible did not teach of his existence, I could take you to him, or at least one of his workers, at about 9am on any given Sunday. All I would need to do to summon his presence would be to say, “Honey, where are my shoes?” I could also say something like, “How long are you going to be in the bathroom?” Any one of theses phrases are guaranteed to conjure something, or someone.

The evidence of his presence can be seen in the items that come up missing. For instance, he is regularly hiding stuff that was in total view only 8 hours before. He or his demons love to hide shoes, hairbrushes, shirts, dresses, pantyhose, lipstick, and Bibles. Occasionally, he even likes to hide the church mail that comes to the parsonage, leaving the pastor to look irresponsible.

Predictable

But thankfully, one thing’s a constant: even though Satan is real, just like in a poorly-written movie, his ways are predictable. Unlike our God, whose “judgments are unsearchable, and His ways past finding out” (Romans 11:33), the “wiles” of the devil never deviate from his modus operandi.

The Greek word translated “wiles” in the KJV is  methodia (μεθοδεία). Essentially, it is a word made from combining  meta and hodos (“after,” and “a way”), and is used to describe what could be called “a decided plan of deception and trickery.”

Satan is a “method” actor, in other words. He plays a part – a predictable part – in trying to deceive, trick, thwart, anger, harm, and sidetrack God’s people. He follows a pattern which can be anticipated and for which preparations can be made. It’s all in the Script.

Preparing for Sunday

So, why do unseen forces literally attack on Sunday morning? They do it because it is the Lord’s Day. They do it because they want us to be ineffective and powerless. They know that hurting, lost, and desperate souls need to be ministered unto, many of which might be on the verge of giving up. The forces we battle against would love to use a missing hair brush, a wrinkled shirt, a nicked face, burnt toast, or an upset stomach to literally raise the dead – the “flesh.”  The enemy knows that “they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8).

Fortunately for us, all we have to do is be watchful (1 Peter 5:8), armored (Ephesians 6:11), and filled with His Spirit, the “power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). The “wiles” of the devil, his schemes and evil plans, are no match for the God “who performeth all things for me” (Psalm 57:2).

On top of that:

  • Do all you can do to get ready for church the night before. If necessary, get ready at different times, so as not to get ticked off at children or risk being asked, “What do you think of this dress?“
  • Take different cars, even if your 10 year old has to drive the lawn mower
  • Reduce dress standards/expectations so you can go to church looking like you just woke up
  • Put duct tape over everybody’s mouths until they get to the door of the church
  • Get up in the middle of the night to eat all you can so you can avoid breakfast, thereby avoiding arguing over what to eat
  • Become Adventist and go to church on Saturday (last resort)

If I Could Make a Movie

I do wish that I could make a movie that featured some of those evil characters in horror films. One in particular is the guy that comes and kills people in their dreams, Freddie Kruger. Another would be the ultimate movie villain, Count Dracula. Add to the list all the other demonic entities that send women running through the woods in high heels, only to trip on a spider web.

Just for fun, I would have all the demonic bad guys come up against a couple of praying saints, or a old preacher who’s broken hearted and fed up with sin. The bad guys would come against them in full force, swearing and threatening and promising all kinds of pain and suffering. Then when all hope seemed lost, right at the moment of despair, as the demoniacs were making their charge,

they’d run into a solid, unconquerable wall of Light…

the ringing sound of a massive sword being unsheathed would be heard…

terror would fill the eyes of the attackers at the sound of a Voice, saying…

“These are mine!“

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. – 1 John 4:4

Now, where are my clean socks? I knew I put them in the drawer…..Honey?!

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by | May 6, 2011 · 12:22 pm

Softball, Food, and Wisdom

Is it Better?

In my last post I made reference to being at a ball park. For a parent of athletic children, that is the place to be on a summer day, morning, afternoon, mid-afternoon, late afternoon, evening, late evening, nighttime, and too-stinking-late-to be-up-on-a-weekend night, especially when this pastor has to preach Sunday morning. Softball tournaments are nothing but a racket. They keep you all day at a ball park so you can buy unhealthy, gut-murdering food…

But it’s goooood..

This is my question…why is it that hot dogs and nachos are better when bought and eaten at a ball park? Surely I am not the only one who feels this way. No cheap hot dog made at home really compares with the ones you spend too much money on and come cradled in cardboard. Nachos with chili and jalapeños can never taste the same made in a clean, sanitary home kitchen. These foods need volunteer workers, weekend kitchens, dust from a field, and sweat in the air to be gourmet.

Nothing Spiritual?

Is there a spiritual lesson here? There has to be one! I am The Recovering Legalist…there has to be a point to this story, right? Maybe there is.

Matthew 15:11, 20 KJV – [11] Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. … [20] These are [the things] which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

James 3:6 KJV – [6] And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

Just after I took the above picture, some coaches and parents on the other team got angry with a call that the umpire made. Shortly after that, another call was made that made one coach curse the umpire. With justifiable indignation, the umpire ordered the coach to either leave the ball park in 30 seconds, or forfeit the game for their team. He left.

It just made me think about the food I was eating and the environment in which it was made. My health could recover from the food, but a poor testimony could take a lifetime to heal.

Oh, and one less person at the park means one less person eating all the hot dogs…

Anybody got some hand sanitizer? Preferably without sparkles?

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by | April 12, 2011 · 10:30 pm

Life Lessons from the School Bus #8 (Stop)

Stop Signs

If there is one thing that makes me angry enough to spit nails, pound a steering wheel, clinch my teeth, and silently whisper vulgarities under my breath, it is this:

People who run school bus stop signs!

Honestly, I would like to know what goes through the minds of these idiots. What causes them to act so carelessly? Are they just careless, or are they blind? Should they even be behind the wheel of a vehicle?

I can’t tell you how many times it has happened to me while driving. One time, believe it or not, a motorist (older white male) came around from behind me on the side of the service door! Let me make that clear, the driver came from behind and passed me on the side the kids get out! He came within a few feet of hitting three middle-schoolers!

What do you do in a situation like that? Well, what wanted to do was chase him with the bus and pin him to a guardrail with 30,000 pounds of yellow furry!

What did I actually do? I called him an unflattering name that referred back to him possibly not coming from a woman who was married at the time of his unfortunate birth. That was all I could do. He got away before I could get his plate number.

If you are one of those slimy pieces of human debris that think it’s OK to run a school bus stop sign, especially if you have an important date, or just can’t stand the thought of being held up another minute – God is watching. Yep, that’s what I said, scumbag. Every time you think you are so special that you can skirt the law, run the stop sign, and go your merry way, God is watching you. When I can’t get your license plate number, God has got YOUR number, bub.

And whosoever shall offend one of [these] little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. – Mark 9:42 KJV

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. … Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. – Matthew 18:10, 14 KJV

You should stop and think a moment. Every time you flagrantly drive through a bus stop, you put children ask risk. You make your priorities more important than the lives of little children. Do you think that for one moment Heaven is on your side of the argument? Do you think that risking running over one of “these little ones” is any different than “despising” them? Do you believe in God? Keep running those stop signs and you will learn the lesson of the day…

Life Lesson

You will eventually reap what you sow (what goes around, comes around).

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. – Galatians 6:7 KJV

Sometimes children are told to “sow their wild oats while they’re young.” I can’t think of a more stupid piece of advice to give anyone! That is like saying, “Do everything wrong while you can, but don’t worry, it will never come back to bite you in the rear end.” God says, “Don’t be decieved by these idiots, because you will reap a harvest from the seeds you plant.”

The same can be said about those who run bus stop signs. Just keep it up, but one day you are going to get what is coming to you, especially if you hit one of those children.

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by | April 4, 2011 · 12:26 pm

Anthony’s Appetite #6 (Marinated Herring)

The Place

It has been a while since my last “Appetite” post. I have eaten since then, but the problem has been finding food worthy of comment. Fortunately, the search came to an end when I went to the Epicurean Restaurant in East Ridge, Tennessee.

The last time I went to the Epicurean was back in the 80’s. Trying to impress a girlfriend, I took her to a place that had a reputation for quality food and excellent service (Frankly, I also heard it was expensive, and girlfriends like expensive). This time we went for a birthday dinner, and the prices were not as bad as I remembered.

The Clientele

They say that one mark of a good restaurant is how many cars are in the parking lot. If that is true, the Epicurean is a GREAT place to eat. When my family and I got there at 2pm on Sunday, the parking lot and dining area were packed……with seniors…..the aged….walkers & canes.  How does that factor in, I wonder?

Isn’t it true that the older one gets, the fewer active taste buds? Hmmm.

The Menu

A quick look at the menu revealed that most of the food was “home-cooking” dishes typical in the South. For example, one of the Sunday specials was turkey and dressing served with two vegetables. That type of food, from what I saw on other people’s plates, looked pretty decent, but was not what I would expect from a place with such a local reputation for being above average. The home-cooking-type food I saw was no better than food at Cracker Barrel, and probably not as tasty (can I get an “amen” for Cracker Barrel turnip greens?). However, a deeper look into the menu options promised something new…something I felt obligated to try…

Marinated Herring

Every once in a while I feel the urge to try something TOTALLY new. I have even found myself eating things that were hard to identify. This dish, however, was something that was new to me on every level.

According to the experts in the culinary arts, marinated herring (aka, pickled herring, etc.) is a delicacy in Europe, and the Epicurean Restaurant IS a Greek-family-owned establishment.  I figured it was time to taste the delicacy the Europeans raved about. Did I ever say that I was NOT European?

Aside from cottage cheese, there are not many things that will cause my gag reflexes to act up.

Add to that list, “marinated herring.”

I don’t do raw fish, for the first thing. I can’t even stomach fake sushi. What on earth made me think I could eat this stuff? Well, for one thing I didn’t really understand how it was made. You see, I thought they took a fish, marinated it in some “stuff,” then cooked it. WRONG! The herring is actually rinsed, then marinated for a couple of days, then sliced up for easier human consumption. It is served cold over a bed of lettuce, with chopped onion, lemon, and dill-flavored sour cream on the side.

Let me brag about this – I ate four bites, maybe five.  The last one, however, was the hardest to get down. The strong fish taste, coupled with the flavors of dill, white wine, and onion was too much. I brought home the rest in a take-home container for the neighborhood cat that seems to have made our front porch one of his stops. That must have been the first time I saw a cat gag.

Define scary:

A large, gray cat looking at you with suspicion and contempt, his vertical pupils turning horizontal to line up with the evil squint he is giving.

Well, after a few hours went by, the lingering taste of cold, raw, meaty, oily herring finally dissipated. Some foods are definitely an aquired taste. On the other hand, some might be better left alone, especially if you don’t want your leftovers creating a Stephen King / Pet Cemetery moment right in your own yard.

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by | April 1, 2011 · 4:03 pm

Here Come Da Flies

Warm weather is just around the corner, you know. And with warm weather comes one of the more annoying things in life…

FLIES!

I don’t want to gross you out with all the stuff that flies do, but I could. The worst part is that in order to eat, they have to regurgitate stomach acid onto the food source (your food), disolve it, then suck it back up. In the process, whatever was left in the gut of the fly from its last meal (road-kill) just got puked onto yours.

Now THAT is DISGUSTING!

Because flies are so nasty, annoying, and ever-present, the writer of Ecclesiastes chose to use them in an illustration. He said, “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: [so doth] a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom [and] honour” (Ecclesiastes 10:1).

Now, what does that mean? Well, an apothacary is someone who made perfume, or ointment. Some of these ointments could take a long time to create, not to mention use a lot of costly ingredients in the making. If left uncovered, the sweet smell would attract flies. Only one landing in the ointment could cause it to spoil and create a foul odor. Losing its beautiful smell, the ointment was no longer capable of doing what it was designed to do.

Like the ointment of the perfume maker, our reputations (testimonies) are hard to come by, but easy to ruin. All it takes is just one little mistake, mistesp, or sin to cause a big stink. This is what the writer of Ecclesiastes was trying to say. Watch out for the little sins that can ruin your hard-earned reputation. Keep the lids on and the screens closed.

The Fly Song (Dead Flies)

A few years ago, in a moment of creativity, I stayed up late one night putting a song together on my 8-track. A while later, my friend Roy Cavender came and laid down the lead guitar track. I’m going to let you listen to it, but you need an open mind and a sense of humor. Maybe one day I will have the time and money to take it to the studio, along with some other works recorded late at night when I should have been asleep.

Click the link below to listen! Then, by all means, tell me what you think!

Dead Flies

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by | March 25, 2011 · 6:12 pm

Prostitots?

Not a Flattering Term

At some point a few years ago, someone coined the phrase, prostitot. As you may have figured out, the word is a combination of “prostitute” and “toddler.” It refers to young girls dressing like older girls, but not in appropriate ways. More often than not it is meant to refer to middle school girls who dress like 21 year olds out to “hook up.”

Sad Reality

Sadly, there ARE moms who WANT their little girls to look like prostitots.  An example can be seen on a reality TV show that glorifies the insanity of baby beauty queens. Little girls, young enough to have the maternity ward bracelet still on their ankles, are turned into ruthless little competitors obsessed with everything from makeup to staying thin. Sadly, if it were left up to the kids, they would be out on the playground getting dirty. But with mentally disturbed mothers and fathers exhibiting twisted parental skills, the only thing these little girls are allowed to play are the judges and crowds. Frankly, I don’t care what people submit as reasons for this – it’s still wrong, unwise, and dangerous. The picture to the right does not do justice to the rampant sexuality that these little girls are being trained to exude, all in the name of being popular.

Now, odds are not many women are submitting their little girls to this kind of abuse (yeah, that’s what I call it). On the other hand, actual trends should be quite disturbing, nevertheless. Young girls today are more sexually expressive than ever before. Access to the internet and smart phones is allowing them to post and receive adult material (including self-made stuff). Clothing is becoming more revealing and makeup more alluring as time goes on. Yet, many moms are just going along with the fun, while daddy is either clueless, or forced to go along for the ride. The need to be popular, pretty, and sexy is invading the middle school.

And it’s getting bad.

It is getting so bad that even liberal women, like Jennifer Moses, are writing in the Wall Street Journal about their concerns. In an article entitled, “Why Do We Let Girls Dress Like That?” Ms. Moses lamented the fact that many moms are allowing their 12-and 13-year-olds to dress “like prostitutes,…but pay for them to do it with [their] AmEx cards…” She wonders what kind of message parents are sending to their children when they encourage children to look like girls on the prowl.

[It’s] easy for parents to slip into denial. We wouldn’t dream of dropping our daughters off at college and saying: “Study hard and floss every night, honey—and for heaven’s sake, get laid!” But that’s essentially what we’re saying by allowing them to dress the way they do while they’re still living under our own roofs.

According to Jennifer Moses, the reason for all of this is, “with the exception of some Mormons, evangelicals and Orthodox Jews, scads of us don’t know how to teach our own sons and daughters not to give away their bodies so readily.”  Now THAT’S an interesting thing to say, isn’t it?

I don’t want to speak for the Mormons, Jews, or Muslims (especially the Muslims who just burned 50 churches in Ethiopia this week), but in spite of what all the liberals have to say, the Bible has some good advice when it comes to rearing children. It even instructs against dressing like a prostitute. Imagine that!

The Bible?

The problem is that many parents have no idea what the Bible says about anything. They never read it, much less attempt to apply its principles to parenting. Too often parents want to let their children make their own decisions with regard to clothing, friends, sexual choices, etc. Rarely is it the case that they stop and consider the reasons for sexual purity before marriage. Rarely do they consider why girls should dress modestly, not seductively. Today, even Christians are having a hard time distinguishing between what is culturally acceptable or socially popular, and what is actually destructive.

Question

[GIRLS]Why do women want their daughters to dress seductively? Do they want the boys to look at them? Do they want the boys to think inappropriate thoughts? Why is it that so many women are allowing their daughters to play with fire? King Solomon advised his son, “Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids” (Proverbs 6:25). The reason was pretty simple: there are always consequences to lust.

Stop and think about it, moms. When you allow your girls to dress like eye candy, what do you expect boys with racing hormones to do? They sin. As a matter of fact, Jesus said,

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. – Matthew 5:27-28 KJV

Does it make you comfortable to think that your daughter in a miniskirt and high-top boots just may be causing another mother’s son to commit adultery? It is that serious, you know. Of course, let it be said that it takes two to tango. Boys should be taught to keep their hormones in check. They should learn from Job who said “I have made a covenant with my eyes…”

The Answer

Now, more than ever before, I believe it is time for the mature and godly men and women to step up to the plate.  The younger men and women need to know what this world is really about. So many mothers and fathers are unaware of the dangers that lie in wait for their little boys and girls. They need some mature men and women to come alongside them and say, “look, dear, this is what will happen if you continue down this path.” The Apostle Paul told Titus that the people of Crete needed the same thing.

You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self‑controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self‑controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self‑controlled. – Titus 2:1-6 NIV

A Final Thought

In response to the article by Jennifer Moses, a  critical piece appeared in Salon magazine. Mary Elizabeth Williams labled Moses as “guilt-wracked.” She also said of her own daughters:

I want them to believe that their sexuality isn’t something to be afraid of, to be doled out stingily and grudgingly…And I wish someday for my daughters — and their friends, both the girls and the boys — what plenty of us not named Jennifer Moses have been able to achieve: a lifetime of healthy self-esteem, varied experiences and zero regret. (emphasis mine)

Well, I guess we know who else hasn’t read Proverbs 5, 6, and 7, huh? Good luck with that “zero regret” thing.

Links:

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748703899704576204580623018562-lMyQjAxMTAxMDIwMzEyNDMyWj.html

http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/03/21/wall_street_journal_tween_sluts/index.html

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